


Valentine's Day Blues

by itsnotaboutlove



Series: The Chef and The Historian [22]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Sick Character, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 12:42:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6006475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsnotaboutlove/pseuds/itsnotaboutlove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Chris has to prepare for Valentine's Day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Valentine's Day Blues

For the first time, in almost ten years of marriage, Chris was assigned the role of preparing for Valentine's day. With Melanie and CJ sick- bronchitis for her and strep throat for him- she was in no condition to go out and shop for the kids. With Charlotte, Sophia and Olivia in school for a good portion of the day, along with both his brother-in-laws at work, Chris was left to fend for himself. While Melanie was the one that went out to get the cutesy stuffed animals and candies for the kids, he was the one that picked out the flowers and whatever little surprise he wanted to give to his wife that year. 

"Just get them something small," Melanie said, before coughing into a tissue. "Target usually has a lot of cute things for kids. Just pick out something hideously cute and colorful, baby. The kids will love it no matter what it is." 

Still unsure, Chris simply nodded his head, pulling the blankets up to cover both her and CJ. "The humidifier has been refilled and I put the vapo-solution in," he said, setting the remote onto the bedspread. "Your nebulizer is plugged in and I left he box of medication on the nightstand." 

Melanie groaned, laying her head back against the pillows, propped up against the headboard. "I don't know how much more I can take of this," she muttered, as CJ coughed in his sleep. "This is the third time I've gotten sick since CJ started day care." 

"I don't know why he's in day care to begin with," Chris said, chucking the used tissues into the trash can. "I only work three days a week and you work from home. He doesn't need to attend an educational day care center, which is really a breeding ground for disease." 

"If I wasn't this close to suffocating on mucus, I would argue with you," Melanie scowled, as he kissed her forehead. "Be careful driving, okay? And if you're stumped, call me. But honestly, you're going to be fine. Just make sure you get all the cards I wrote down for the kids." 

Chris nodded, moving towards the bedroom door. "If I'm not home by three," he started, standing in the doorway. "It's because I'm a failure and I fled the state." 

Melanie shook her head, turning the volume up on the television. "I offered to go, but you wouldn't let me," she reminded him; for what was most likely the hundredth time, since they came home from the doctors two days previously. "I don't know why you're being a baby about it, Chris. You know what your kids like. You could give them a box of rocks and they'd been over the moon about it." 

At that moment, a box of rocks didn't sound so bad. 

......................

With Valentine's less than twenty-four hours away, Chris only had half of the shopping done. He managed to pick out cards for the kids, Melanie, their nieces and nephews and their in-laws. He found a stuff puppy for CJ, a few small boxes of chocolates for the kids and all the gift bags that Melanie listed. With schools out for the week for winter break, Chris knew the girls would want to be out and about all weekend long with their Daddy. But there was no way he could shop for their gifts, while they tagged along. Nor could they stay at the house with Melanie and CJ both sick and incapable of tending to all their needs. 

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" Jim asked, as they walked into Walgreens, late Saturday afternoon. "If you needed help picking up things for the kids and Mellie, one of us could've helped out." 

"Because nothing is more embarrassing than a grown man, cracking under the pressure of shopping for stuffed animals and candies," Chris muttered, as they weaved through the crowds of panicked men. "You'd think I would know by now, what to buy for three girls and a boy." 

Jim snorted, "That's because Mellie's the one that shops for the Valentine's and the Easter gifts for the kids," he pointed out. "You just get the flowers for the wife and a little surprise once they all go down for bed." 

The older man sighed, "I just think this is a stupid "holiday" that's all," he shrugged, as they browsed the stuffed animals. "Why do I need an extra day, just to tell Mel how much I love her? Or the kids for that matter?" 

"I think it's romantic," Jim shrugged, picking up a neon pink pig. "And who can say no to cutesy stuffed animals and chocolates?" 

Chris took the pig that Jim held out, "goddamn bronchitis," he muttered, dropping the toy into the basket. 

They spend another twenty minutes finding toys for Charlotte and Sophia, along with a box of Russell Stover's chocolates for Melanie and a bag of lollipops for the kids. Once they got back to the car, the bags sitting on the backseat, Chris felt a little better than before. 

"Now, you just have to get flowers tomorrow," Jim shrugged, as they drove. "I'm sure your Mom and David won't be upset if their cards come a day or two late. You know Charlie's gonna want to call them bright and early, just to screech in the phone at the top of her lungs." 

"Charlie's already got her cards ready for them to be mailed out," he said, as they waited at the intersection. "She's even got cards for the cats, Jim. The cats. She even made me get a container of treats and a pack of toys for them." 

Jim snorted, "Which is what you did for Christmas," he reminded him. "God, I hope that I'm not this crabby when I'm your age."

..................

"Dadddddyyyy?" 

Chris jumped, holding the stuffed pig in one hand and a bunch of tissue paper in the other, straining to listen out for the footsteps. Dropping everything onto Melanie's desk, he quickly rushed out of the office and into the hallway, only to find Olivia walking around. 

"What are you doing out of bed?" he asked, as she squealed. "It's late." 

Olivia rushed down the hallway, giggling with glee, as he scooped her up into his arms. "I'm thirsty," she said, as they walked into the kitchen. "Water, please?" 

"Only a little bit," he said, grabbing her princess cup out of the dish rack. "Then it's back to bed with you." 

Watching as he filled the cup with a little water, Olivia took it and guzzled it down, before handing it back to him. "Why are you in Mommy's room?" she asked, as he set it down on the counter. 

"Cleaning." 

She scowled, "Daddy has to do all the cleaning, since Mommy's sick," he reminded her, as they headed out to the living room and towards the stairs. 

"Mommy's really sick," Olivia pouted. "Sick buggies gots her sick." 

"Sick buggies that CJ brought home," Chris nodded, as they headed down the hall to her bedroom. "Hopefully, Mommy will come to her senses and take CJ out of that place. That way they're not getting sick all the time anymore." 

Olivia nodded in agreement, as Chris tucked her back into bed, snuggling with one of her many pigs. "We makes her breakfast tomorrow?" she asked, as he checked on Sophia. "Wash her hair too, cuz it's yucky." 

He snorted, "We'll make Mommy breakfast," he promised, sitting down next to her. "But I need you to go back to sleep, Liv. I still have to take you and Sophia out tomorrow morning, just so we can pick out flowers for Mommy." 

Gasping, Olivia quickly tucked her face into the toy and squeezed her eyes shut, making Chris laugh. Pulling the blanket up to her shoulders, he dropped a kiss on her head and got up. Closing the door halfway, he double checked on Charlotte and CJ, before heading down the hall to check on Melanie. With the blankets down at the foot of the bed, Melanie snored deeply; the harsh wheezing wracking her body with each inhale. The humidifier bubbled and hissed on the nightstand, the green light casting an eerie glow on both the wall and her. The room was a few degrees warmer with the machine running, releasing extra moisture into the room; Melanie's hair went from dry to overly greasy, as it sat in a messy bun at the top of her head. It also left her clothes and her side of the bed damp, as she sweated through fevers and the drastic increase in room temperature.

Leaving the door open, Chris went back downstairs to finish putting together the presents for the kids, before checking the locks. Turning the lights out in the kitchen, Simba and Elsa quickly scurried out from under the table and rushed ahead of Chris, darting up the staircase and down the hall to their designated hiding spots. Shaking his head, Chris all but crawled into bed, dropping his head against the pillow with a tired grunt. 

.....................

"Woses for Mommy," Sophia crooned in her booster seat, as Chris parked the car. "Wooooooseeeesssssss." 

"Sophia, please," Chris sighed, cutting the engine. "It's too early for you to be this excited about doing anything." 

The little girl giggled like a maniac, while Olivia sat quietly in the other booster seat. It was a quarter to seven and the parking lot to the grocery store was already crowded, which made Chris groan. When he left the house five minutes previously, Charlotte was up and watching Sunday morning cartoons in her room, while CJ slept in his anti-biotic induced coma. Melanie was still out, much to his relief, as he got the twins up and dressed to get flowers. 

"Now, we're going to get Mommy her flowers and then go back home, " he said, as they stepped out of the bitter cold and into the store. "You're going to stand next to me and there will be no running off, understood? Right, Sophia?" 

The little girl nodded, smiling innocently up at him. "Can we gets pink flowers?" Olivia asked, holding his hand. "Mommy likes pink." 

The floral department was a mad house, as they approached it, as disgruntled husbands and boyfriends shopped about. "Let's hope we can find pink flowers," Chris said, as he picked Sophia up, much to her outrage. "You like to run off," he said, as she wiggled. "The last thing I need is for you to break something expensive." 

"Pia, be good," Olivia said, as they weaved through the crowds and over to the case. "Ooooh! Flowers!" 

"Wooooooses!" 

After a few minutes, and with clear direction of two seven year olds, Chris selected a bouquet of pink roses and white. The girl behind the counter quickly wrapped the two together, tying it with a pink and white ribbon, as Chris paid. "Good?" he asked, as Olivia cradled the bouquet in her arms. 

They both nodded, "Good," he sighed in relief. "Lets go home now." 

...............................

By seven that evening, the girls were sacked out in the living room, having crashed from the sugar rush they created. Their newly gifted stuffed animals became pillows, as they snored away on various pieces of furniture, while a horrendous cartoon played on the television. In the playpen, CJ slept with his new puppy; water and anti-biotic coursing through his little body. In the kitchen, Chris spooned a helpful of soup into a bowl at the stove. Grabbing the giant purple water bottle and a spoon, he juggled the items upstairs and down the hall to the bedroom. 

"Hey," he said, as he stepped into the room. "I brought you something to eat and more water," he said, as Melanie yawned. "How ya feeling?" 

"Disgusting," Melanie pouted, as he set the bowl down on the already crowded nightstand. "I can breathe through my nose though, so that's good." 

He nodded, "Maybe after you eat, you can take a shower?" he shrugged. "I can change the sheets and maybe open the window to let some cool air in." 

Melanie nodded, "I could use a shower," she agreed. "What are the kids doing?" 

"They're all asleep downstairs," Chris said, picking up the bowl. "Thank god they don't have school tomorrow." 

"Lucky us," Melanie said, as she looked down at the soup. "Did you make this?" 

He nodded, "I figured home-made chicken noodle soup, sounded better than canned," he shrugged. "Besides, it's perfect soup weather outside." 

Melanie gave him a tired smile, "Thank you," she said, scooping a spoonful into her mouth. "Mmmm, I've been so hungry the last few days." 

"Well, I made enough soup for you to have for the next day or two," Chris said, as he got up to straighten up the clutter. "I put your candy in your office, since it's so hot in here. Didn't want you to open the box and find them all melted." 

"Thank you," Melanie said, through spoonfuls of chicken and broth. "I'm sorry Valentine's is a bust this year." 

Chris shook his head, "We can always celebrate when you're better," he said. 

While Chris cleaned up and Melanie ate, they fell into a comfortable silence. When she was finished and the bowl was set on the table again, Melanie climbed out of bed and went into the bathroom to shower. Changing the entire bed from pillowcases to the comforter, Chris chucked the bedding into the hallway and picked out clean clothes for his wife. 

"Better?" he asked, as Melanie dressed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. "You even look better." 

"I'm dis-enrolling CJ from that germ factory," Melanie said, as he towel dried her hair. "I never got this sick when the girls started school. But then I send CJ to a daycare and my entire immune system decides to go into panic mode and betray me."

"He's only two," Chris shrugged. "Why spend two hundred dollars for him to color and play with toys, when he can do that here for free?" 

Melanie shrugged, "I just thought it would be good for him to meet kids his own age," she sighed. 

Chris tucked a damp strand behind her ear, "He's a social butterfly, Mel," he reasoned. "Hell, the kid somehow had full blown conversation with a parakeet at the pet store. The temper tantrum he threw, when it was time to go..." 

"Yeah, I guess," she mumbled, laying back against the pillows. 

"When it's time for him to go to preschool," Chris started, grabbing the jar of vapo rub off the table. "He'll be ready to make friends that aren't his sisters or cousins." 

Rubbing the sticky and over-powerful medicinal rub all over her chest and under her nose, Melanie laid quietly with her eyes closed, breathing in slowly. When he was done, Chris wiped his hand off on the towel, and sat back to watch her. "You wanna go to sleep?" he asked, when she finally opened her eyes. "Or do you want me to put Netflix on?" 

"Can we watch a movie" Melanie asked. "I feel like I haven't spent any quality time with you in the last few days. It's making me sad." 

"I'll put the kids up to bed and I'll join you," Chris promised, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "How about you come downstairs for a little bit and refill your bottle? Maybe pick out a snack? We have ice pops again!" 

Melanie smirked, "Okay," she nodded, climbing out of bed. "Might as well get up, otherwise I'll fall right back asleep." 

It took fifteen minutes to get all four kids up and into bed, including trips to the bathroom and a diaper change for CJ. By the time Chris and Melanie got back into their own bed, selecting a romantic comedy to end the night, they were both tired themselves. 

"Happy Valentine's Day," Melanie said, halfway through the movie. 

Chris wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer so that her head rested upon his shoulder. "Happy Valentine's Day," he said, placing a kiss on the top of her head.


End file.
